Vote ‘no’ on Edison levy

April 27, 2014

I live in Edison Local School District, and I love the teachers who teach in the school district. I've had nothing but good experiences while my granddaughter attended Edison schools. I am not anti-school levies or an anti-taxpaying citizen. I want to see improved schooling for our youth.

I took a look at my property tax breakdown and was surprised to learn that 61.4 percent of my property tax goes to Edison. I don't know when these taxes were put on, and I also don't know when they are going off. There are only three schools left in the entire school district and no buses for high school students. A pay-to-play sports and club participation was instituted last year and continues. Did you know that the school district received $435,297 in 2013 revenue for an oil and gas lease? (It will go up as the wells produce.) This can be accessed from the state auditor's report online where you can also see the school budget and surplus.

Where is that money going? With cutbacks to busing, school closings, the layoff and firing of personnel and early retirements, one would think that the school district is in pretty good shape. How many times do the majority of voters have to say enough is enough on the school levy issue? Hasn't the Ohio Supreme Court ruled three times that our method of school funding is unconstitutional? A passed levy will not bring any new buildings or an increase in teachers' pay.

A school district that puts its high school students driving on some of the most rural roads in the state of Ohio, as well as inconveniencing many working parents, is not a safety-minded school district. They have the parents of children in this school district right where they want them. My ancestors came to America to escape taxation. I am sure that my ancestors would roll over in their graves if they could see the percentage of our paychecks that go to various taxes and those targeted at us in the future, too.